*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Service brakes
On XXX, at approximately 152,570 miles, the brake, ABS, and traction-control warning lights illuminated at the same time on my 2013 Toyota Prius. The brakes felt spongy, and I heard a recurring buzzing sound approximately every 3 seconds. Because of the change in brake-pedal feel and concerns about braking safety, I stopped using the vehicle. I reported the problem to Longo Toyota in [XXX], which directed me to Toyota customer support. The vehicle was subsequently diagnosed with trouble code C1391, âInternal Leak in Accumulator.â I contacted the dealership and Toyota customer support about Customer Support Program ZJB, which addressed code C1391 brake booster and brake booster pump…
Oct 6, 2026Unknown or otherCrash
I experienced sudden unintended acceleration. While I was making a right turn from the street to my driveway, my car suddenly accelerated on its own and hit the side of the house and the garage door, causing significant damage to the house and the front of my car. My street is uphill, so my car was almost stopped when I made a turn. My car suddenly lurched forward passing the upward incline to my driveway. The windshield cracked due to fallen bricks from my house. I heard the noise of sudden acceleration, and the next thing was my car hitting the house hard. I had my foot slightly on the brake. My chest hit the wheel due to the shock, but the airbag was not deployed. I experienced a mild…
Oct 15, 2026Service brakes
While driving our 2013 Toyota Prius, the vehicle experienced a sudden and severe loss of braking effectiveness while the vehicle was in motion. This created an immediate safety risk because the vehicle did not respond to braking as expected. After the incident, the vehicle displayed the red BRAKE warning light, ABS warning light, brake-system warning light, and an audible warning. The vehicle was not driven after the failure and was transported to a Toyota dealership for diagnosis. The dealer confirmed a brake-system fault and recorded diagnostic trouble codes C1241, C1252, C1253, and C1256. Toyota previously issued Customer Support Program ZJB for certain 2010â2015 Prius vehicles…
Oct 9, 2026Service brakes
While driving, my brake pedal would randomly lose power assist. The pedal would get hard and I couldn't press it down normally, and I had to push as hard as I could just to get the car to slow down. This happened more than once while driving and I almost crashed because I couldn't stop the car in time. A scan later showed codes C1252 (brake booster pump motor on-time abnormally long), C1253 (pump motor relay fault), and C1256 (accumulator pressure low), pointing to a failure in the brake booster pump/accumulator system. A repair shop confirmed this and said the brake booster assembly with master cylinder and the brake booster pump assembly with accumulator both needed to be replaced. I also…
Sep 18, 2026Electrical systemFire1 injury
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving and pulling into a parking lot, there was a burning odor coming from the vehicle. The contact exited the vehicle but saw no fault with the vehicle. The contact was then notified by another person that the vehicle had caught on fire. The fire department extinguished the fire and informed the contact that the windshield washer fluid reservoir was melted in half with burned wires nearby. The fire department stated that the fire was caused by the electrical wiring on the passengerâs side near the coolant reservoir under the hood. The vehicle was not destroyed and was towed back to the residence. A bystander who helped…
Sep 25, 2026 · 138,932 milesService brakes, hydraulicCrash1 injury
The contact owns a 2013 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the ABS warning light illuminated. Minutes later, the vehicle started to brake and lurch forward with the accelerator pedal depressed. The contact stated that the vehicle spun out and crashed into the median. The contactâs chest struck the steering wheel, causing bruising and chest pain. The contact was managing the pain with analgesics. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot and was deemed a total loss by the insurance company. A Police report was filed, but the report number was not provided. The manufacturer was contacted and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.
Aug 12, 2026 · 140,000 milesSuspension
My 2013 Prius has 86,500 miles on it. It has been regularly maintained. A routine state inspection revealed a severely rusted rear axle beam and a front axle that is heading in that direction. Other Prius' in [XXX] have had this issue, and in some cases, the wheels have detached from the axle while the car is in motion. That is documented. That is a major safety concern, as who would expect to see an axle issue, especially in a low mileage car. I found a similar NHTSA complaint, XXX, on a 2013 Prius in [XXX], as well as issues in [XXX] with 2010 and 2012 Prius vehicles. The Toyota dealership that found this issue deemed it to be "a major safety concern" as the beam is "rusted apart". There…
Aug 19, 2026Service brakes
The break pump for my 2013 prius is going out and is a known issue with Toyota. I contacted toyota and they have stated because it is past the extended warranty they can not repair it and aren't liable for it. I bought the car used and was unaware that it has been a known issue for years. The previous owner did not have it replaced as they were probably unaware as well. It is a highly unsafe issue and has caused my breaks to suddenly go our while driving recently with my toddler. It is also $3000-$5000 to fix it and is almost more than the cars value. I need help resolving this as it isn't "normal wear and tear" or a mileage issue. It is a known, very public defect that toyota has admitted…
Aug 25, 2026
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
